A cause of death has been revealed for Richard Riehle, two weeks after the beloved character actor died at age 78.
Riehle, best known for his roles in the 1999 dark comedy "Office Space" and the 2000s sitcom "Grounded for Life," died of a stroke, TMZ reported on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The outlet, which obtained the actor's death certificate, also noted that Riehle was battling oropharyngeal cancer, a rare cancer that originates in the middle of the throat, at the time of his Oct. 15 death. The disease was listed as an underlying cause of death.
USA TODAY has reached out to Riehle's representatives for additional comment.
Riehle racked up hundreds of film and TV credits across his five-decade career in Hollywood. The character actor's talents spanned
genres, with Riehle working in horror films, comedies, holiday movies and crime thrillers.
As Tom Smykowski in the workplace satire "Office Space," Riehle played a software company product manager who wins a settlement from a hit-and-run after he's laid off. He later pursues his dream of making a "Jump to Conclusions" floor mat game.
Riehle also played Walt Finnerty on all five seasons of "Grounded for Life," a family comedy starring Donal Logue and Megyn Price, though his character was largely phased out after the show's second season.
The veteran actor, who earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree from the University of Minnesota, also showed off his comedic chops in the 2011 film "Bridesmaids," in which he played a mechanic, Bill Cozbi, who dealt with Annie's (Kristen Wiig) broken-down car.
Following his death, Riehle's management and agency said in a statement that the actor "leaves behind an extraordinary legacy."
"Beyond his immense talent, he will be remembered for his genuine goodness, boundless kindness and unwavering generosity, particularly toward emerging actors and filmmakers, whom he encouraged and supported at every opportunity," the statement read. "Our industry has lost an exceptional talent, and our community has lost a truly wonderful man."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Richard Riehle's cause of death revealed
